Tag Archives: tax

An important part of financial planning is Tax Planning. With so many changes to the tax code this year HFM is highly encouraging everyone to review their tax plan or make a tax plan this summer with their CPA or tax advisor. Don’t get caught in April 2019 with a potentially higher tax bill than 2017. Now is the time you should consider making changes to your withholding NOT in December 2018. Read the latest news from the IRS.gov on what to do and we remind you to consult with your tax adviser as well.

IR-2018-145, June 28, 2018

Washington, DC – Taxpayers who owed additional tax when they filed their 2017 federal tax return earlier this year can avoid another unexpected tax bill next year by doing a “paycheck checkup” as soon as possible, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the tax reform legislation passed in December, made major changes to the tax law, including increasing the standard deduction, removing personal exemptions, increasing the Child Tax Credit, limiting or discontinuing certain deductions and changing tax rates and brackets.

These far-reaching changes could have a big impact on the tax refund or balance due on the tax return people file next year. The IRS encourages every employee to do a “paycheck checkup” soon to ensure they have the correct amount of tax taken out of their pay.

Checking and adjusting withholding now can prevent an unexpected tax bill and penalties next year at tax time. The IRS Withholding Calculator ( https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-withholding-calculator) and Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, can help.

The IRS encourages taxpayers to be proactive:

Do a ‘paycheck checkup’ soon

The Withholding Calculator can help taxpayers apply the new law to their specific financial situation and make an informed decision whether to change their withholding this year.

Adjust their withholding as soon as possible for an even, consistent amount of withholding throughout the rest of the year.

Taxpayers with more complex situations may need to use Publication 505. The publication is more effective for employees who owe self-employment tax, the alternative minimum tax or tax on unearned income from dependents. It can also help those who receive non-wage income such as dividends, capital gains, rents and royalties. Publication 505 includes worksheets and examples to guide taxpayers through their particular situations.

Underpayment penalties

To avoid paying the estimated tax penalty, taxpayers should ensure they have enough tax withheld from their paychecks and appropriate estimated tax payments. Ordinarily, taxpayers can avoid this penalty by paying at least 90 percent of their tax during the year.

If taxpayers expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax after subtracting withholding and refundable credits, they should make estimated tax payments.

Using the Withholding Calculator or Publication 505

Taxpayers should have their completed 2017 tax return handy to help estimate the amount of income, deductions, adjustments and credits to enter. They’ll also need their most recent pay stubs to help compute their withholding to date this year. Results from these tools depend on the accuracy of information a taxpayer provides.

Employees can use the results from the Withholding Calculator or Publication 505 to help determine if they should complete a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, and, if so, what information to include on the form.

The calculator may also be helpful to recipients of pension and annuity income. These recipients can change their withholding by filling out Form W-4P and giving it to their payer.

If a taxpayer’s personal circumstances change during the year, they should re-check their withholding.

Adjusting withholding

If an employee determines they should adjust their withholding, they should complete a new Form W-4 and submit it to their employer as soon as possible.

Some employers have an electronic method to update a Form W-4.

Taxpayers who change their 2018 withholding should recheck their withholding at the start of 2019. A mid-year withholding change in 2018 may have a different full-year impact in 2019, so if taxpayers don’t submit a new Form W-4 for 2019, their withholding might be higher or lower than intended.

If an employee has a change in personal circumstances that reduces the number of withholding allowances they can claim, they must submit a new Form W-4 within 10 days of the change.

The fewer withholding allowances an employee enters on the Form W-4, the higher their tax withholding will be. Entering “0” or “1” on line 5 of the Form W-4 means more tax will be withheld; entering a bigger number means less tax will be withheld.

Additional information

The Withholding Calculator does not request personally identifiable information such as name, Social Security number, address or bank account numbers. The IRS does not save or record the information entered on the calculator. Taxpayers should be aware of tax scams, especially via email or phone and cybercriminals impersonating the IRS. The IRS does not send emails related to the calculator or the information entered in it.

The calculator and Publication 505 are not tax-planning tools. Taxpayers needing advice regarding the new tax law and personal situations should consult a trusted tax professional.

Taxpayers can get more information on these topics at www.irs.gov/withholding. For information on steps taxpayers can take now to get a jump on next year’s taxes, including how the new tax law may affect them, visit IRS.gov/getready.

Tips for 2016 Tax Returns

Now that the holidays are over and the new year has begun it’s time to start thinking about Tax Season. We scoured the internet and picked out a few important points that you as an Employee, Retiree or Business Owner should know for filing your return.

Tax Season Filing deadline– Begins Monday, Jan. 23, 2017 and you have an extra weekend as returns or extensions are due by midnight Tuesday, April 18, 2017.

1099’s – Your investment account Custodian is responsible for issuing 1099’s. The mail dates vary throughout February and March. HFM clients will receive more information via email about their specific 1099 mail dates as they become available to us.

Tax Scams – Please note that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. Note that the IRS will never

Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail you a bill if you owe any taxes.

Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

We hope you have found this information helpful. We are not professional tax advisors so please consult with your CPA for your personal situation. If you don’t have a CPA and you need an introduction please let us know, we would be happy to connect you with one.

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